Chapter 33

“That was a bit of a hiccup, but the journey after that went smoothly.”

The overall speed of our travel noticeably increased.

Watching the horses gallop forward with what seemed like endless energy, Lorenz felt a mix of awe and anxiety.

‘It’s definitely effective, but… are there any side effects?’

Typically, the speed of a freight wagon isn’t that fast.

No matter how swift the horses are, it’s impossible to carefreely gallop while dragging a massive load behind.

But after consuming the mysterious herb, the horses were dashing forward with light steps as if they had never been tired.

Compared to riding solo or letting a horse run free, their speed was still relatively sluggish, but it was enough to make the grooms struggle to hold them back.

While he instinctively felt he could make a fortune if that herb could be commercialized, worries struck him about the horses collapsing under the strain.

If dozens of horses were to drop dead, even the Halder Trading Company would take a serious hit.

Lorenz’s gaze drifted to the window.

Outside, Adelaide was running alongside the wagon for some reason while Mick, gasping for breath, desperately tried not to lag behind.

-Since we finally get to go together, why not chat a bit?

-Oh, I’m sorry. I have to keep running.

-Then I’ll run too!

Recalling their conversation before they set off, Lorenz rubbed his face with both hands.

His parental wish to support his son’s romantic endeavors was battling against the cold rationality of a merchant telling him, ‘That’s already doomed.’

-M-Master has collapsed!

At the sound from outside, Lorenz sighed.

His desire to give his son various experiences was unfolding in a direction he never anticipated.

***

Fortunately for Lorenz, the horses that had gobbled up the suspicious herb did not end up dying en masse.

Despite having run long distances, they looked sprightly enough that some staff joked that if a person had eaten that, they’d have a blast at night.

Although his son returned to the wagon with silent screams of humiliation, Lorenz didn’t think much of it, knowing that piling up embarrassing stories was just a part of growing up.

As long as he provided a cozy blanket for some nighttime comfort, everything would be fine.

“Witch, witch! We’ve arrived!”

At Adelaide’s exclamation, someone who had been holed up inside the wagon throughout the journey finally showed signs of emerging.

Both Lorenz and the staff couldn’t contain their curiosity and focused their eyes on the entrance.

“Got it, so stop rushing me. You think reapplying protective magic on a new staff is easy?”

“Ah, sorry!”

A girl emerged with a grumbling voice.

With deep black hair and blue eyes, her exposed skin contrasted sharply with her attire.

Lorenz thought to himself.

‘Her fashion sense isn’t the greatest, is it?’

Though her natural beauty was outstanding, she was hardly doing herself any favors with that crow-like dress and various accessories that certainly weren’t chic compliments.

It felt like a country girl, not familiar with adornments, had tried to impress with what little she knew.

‘… At least she doesn’t seem to be of royalty or from the Lion Duke’s Bloodline, but perhaps a high-ranking female wizard or one of her apprentices?’

If she were a wizard and a powerful figure, the first thing to come to mind would be the Magical Kingdom up north, but the Lion Duke’s Bloodline wouldn’t treat a wizard from the Magical Kingdom with such deference. More reasonably, she could be considered a high noble from the Empire or another nation.

‘Even if she’s not a noble, being of an equal status would be more comfortable for negotiations. Setting aside everything else, if I can just gain some knowledge about that herb she showed me, it would be well worth my time.’

Just as he was about to speak to the witch, Lorenz paused for a moment to decide what tone to adopt.

Showing a dignified attitude as the head of a trading company wouldn’t be bad, but considering she’s traveling with someone from the Lion Duke’s Bloodline, it might be wise to maintain a courteous demeanor for now.

After quickly calculating his approach, Lorenz spoke up to the witch.

“It’s been quite a while, and this is the first time I see your face. I am Lorenz Halder, the head of the Halder Trading Company.”

“Dorothea.”

Her reply was curt.

It was unclear whether she had no surname or just chose not to reveal it.

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Dorothea. The effects of the herb you handed over were remarkable. Thanks to you, we arrived quickly.”

“I learned the way as well, so no need for formalities.”

While her cold response was blunt, Lorenz had built his experience in trading and wouldn’t be easily rattled.

“Haha, understood. By the way, do you plan to head into the Labyrinth right away? If it’s alright with you, I can assist with the registration process.”

“Registration?”

Dorothea asked back, confused.

“Isn’t this unclaimed land?”

Not all territories on the continent are under the control of a specific nation.

Some areas, like remote, hard-to-access mountains, powerful monster dens, or regions with little benefit from claiming them, are often left to wither without anyone even arguing that they belong to them.

The land where the Taros Labyrinth was discovered was no different.

Without a nearby water source to support a village and a high magical concentration in the air, monster appearances were common there. It was hardly a prime spot for new settlements.

Had a new entrance to the labyrinth not been fortuitously discovered months ago, no one would’ve ever been interested in the area, and Dorothea was right.

“Until recently, that’s how it was. It’s been quite a while since the labyrinth was discovered, however. Currently, employees dispatched from the Empire’s Adventurer’s Guild manage the entrance.”

“And what right do they have over land that isn’t theirs?”

“When the strong and loud claim it’s good, that’s how rights become legitimized.”

Dorothea frowned.

“Just wait a moment. I’ll check on that.”

***

To cut to the chase, Lorenz’s words were true.

“Halt. Without an adventurer’s badge of silver rank or higher issued by the Empire, you cannot enter.”

At the entrance of the labyrinth.

They had set up a makeshift outpost and were inspecting those who approached, and Dorothea showed her disbelief.

“How do you even obtain that badge?”

“Naturally, you need to register at one of the Adventurer’s Guilds spread across the Empire and gradually build your achievements.”

“The ranks are Stone, Copper, Silver, and Gold! Those with a Stone rank are basically no one, and only those rated from Copper upwards are regarded as real adventurers! A Silver rank can expect treatment equal to a knight at the very least!”

The guild staff kept talking in an annoyingly overly confident manner, knowing full well that they were getting under Dorothea’s skin.

“If you want to enter, just follow the procedures at the Guild step by step. I don’t see what you’re complaining about.”

“……”

Dorothea said nothing more and turned away.

Watching from a distance, Adelaide cautiously asked,

“Um, should I give it a try?”

“Nope.”

Meanwhile, during their conversation, the guild staff were sneaking glances at Adelaide.

When the staff spotted her blonde hair and purple eyes, they seemed momentarily taken aback, but they didn’t show any sign of weakness or change their approach.

This was evidence that they possessed enough power not to tremble merely because they were dealing with someone from the Lion Duke’s Bloodline.

The Adventurer’s Guild might be in competition with the Lion Duke’s faction, or perhaps there were ties with another bloodline on the guild’s side.

Dorothea fell silent, lost in thought.

The situation was different from when she wiped out the Columbo Thieves or counterattacked against Franka.

The opponent was a massive organization, and overpowering them by sheer force was impossible.

Sure, she could unleash spells she usually avoided due to the attention but… the aftermath would be catastrophic.

However, she also had no intention of just complying with their demands.

Dorothea returned to find Lorenz.

Lorenz had been waiting, ready to explain his plans.

“The Adventurer’s Guild may be acting like the owners of the labyrinth, but in reality, they don’t monopolize all the rights. We trading companies provide various supplies necessary for adventurers exploring inside. Therefore, even without a Silver rank badge, you can use our company’s name to explore freely.”

“And what about items obtained from inside?”

“You can keep everything you find. There may be limits on how many people we can lend our name to based on the company size, but there are no restrictions on the treasures you acquire.”

“What’s the fee?”

Lorenz couldn’t hide a wry smile.

This girl was definitely a straightforward one.

“I’ll leave it as a debt.”

“I refuse.”

Dorothea shot back immediately.

“Nothing is scarier than an intangible debt. If you want a deal, let’s keep it straightforward here.”

“Is that so? Hmm. That’s troubling.”

Lorenz hid his disappointment beneath a calm facade.

In truth, securing a deal for exploration rights wasn’t particularly valuable to Lorenz.

He had intended to pass off something useless as precious to establish a debt of gratitude or foster goodwill but was rebuffed outright.

So, Lorenz decided to take a slightly bolder approach.

“Then I’d like to request the recipe for the herb you showed me. What kind of plants should I gather, and what processes should I follow? If that’s difficult, you can also supply me with a set amount periodically.”

“I’ll share the recipe. On the condition that you manage the disposal of the treasures obtained here, how about that?”

“That’s doable, but considering the commission, you’d likely profit more handling it yourself.”

“I’m too lazy for that. I’m okay with proper fees being deducted but switch to something like an IOU. Carrying around coins will just make things bulky.”

“Well, if that’s alright with you, then I have no issue with it…”

Lorenz felt puzzled.

Dorothea, who had yet to step foot inside the labyrinth, was discussing securing vast treasures as if it were a fait accompli, which made it understandable that he was confused.

Treasure hunting wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

“Oh, let’s buy backup weapons for her and Adel, food, lamps, and oil. If you have a one-person cart, throw that in too. And—”

From there, Dorothea started to list out a series of items one by one.

Within her belongings, a magical key with a black sheen quietly sparkled.